Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining whether a substrate includes an unacceptably high amount of oxide on its surface are described. The substrate is typically a substrate that is to be electroplated. The determination may be made directly in an electroplating apparatus, during an initial portion of an electroplating process. The determination may involve immersing the substrate in electrolyte with a particular applied voltage or applied current provided during or soon after immersion, and recording a current response or voltage response over this same timeframe. The applied current or applied voltage may be zero or non-zero. By comparing the current response or voltage response to a threshold current, threshold voltage, or threshold time, it can be determined whether the substrate included an unacceptably high amount of oxide on its surface. The threshold current, threshold voltage, and/or threshold time may be selected based on a calibration procedure.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a plurality of host systems shared access to data files from a file server. The method includes monitoring a control file for updates, the control file located within a corresponding host directory located within the file server; receiving a request for access to a data file stored on the file server, the access request being written to the control file, the access request including a requested data file operation; performing the requested data file operation in response to the control file being updated with the access request; creating a status file in the host directory in which the requested data file operation was performed upon completion of the requested data file operation; writing status data in the status file, the status data including a result of the performance of the requested data file operation; and allowing access to the host directory in which the requested data file operation was performed in response to the status data being written to the status file.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining whether a substrate includes an unacceptably high amount of oxide on its surface are described. The substrate is typically a substrate that is to be electroplated. The determination may be made directly in an electroplating apparatus, during an initial portion of an electroplating process. The determination may involve immersing the substrate in electrolyte with a particular applied voltage or applied current provided during or soon after immersion, and recording a current response or voltage response over this same timeframe. The applied current or applied voltage may be zero or non-zero. By comparing the current response or voltage response to a threshold current, threshold voltage, or threshold time, it can be determined whether the substrate included an unacceptably high amount of oxide on its surface. The threshold current, threshold voltage, and/or threshold time may be selected based on a calibration procedure.

Abstract: A determination is made of a real-time azimuthal position of a notch alignment feature located on a support surface of a substrate holder relative to a fixed reference ray extending perpendicularly away from a rotational axis of the substrate holder as the substrate holder rotates about the rotational axis. A determination is made of an approach initiation azimuthal position of the notch alignment feature relative to the fixed reference ray at which vertical movement of the substrate holder should initiate in order to have the notch alignment feature located at a prescribed azimuthal position relative to the fixed reference ray when the substrate holder reaches a prescribed vertical position. A determination is made of a time delay required to have the notch alignment feature located at the approach initiation azimuthal position. Vertical movement of the substrate holder is initiated in accordance with the determined time delay.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an opening and onto a target portion of the substrate, and a conduit having an outlet in the opening. The conduit is configured to deliver gas to the opening. The lithographic apparatus includes a temperature control apparatus disposed in a space between the projection system and the substrate table. The temperature control device is configured to control the temperature of the gas in the space after the gas passes through the opening.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing a semiconductor substrate having a metal seed layer for a subsequent electroplating operation. In some embodiments, the methods may include contacting the surface of the semiconductor substrate with a plasma to treat the surface by reducing metal oxides thereon and thereafter measuring a post-plasma-contact color signal from said surface, the color signal having one or more color components. The methods may then further include estimating the extent of the oxide reduction due to the plasma treatment based on the post-plasma contact color signal. In some embodiments, estimating the extent of the oxide reduction due to the plasma treatment is done based on the b* component of the post-plasma contact color signal. Also disclosed are plasma treatment apparatuses which may implement the foregoing methods.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing a semiconductor substrate having a metal seed layer for a subsequent electroplating operation. In some embodiments, the methods may include contacting the surface of the semiconductor substrate with a plasma to treat the surface by reducing metal oxides thereon and thereafter measuring a post-plasma-contact color signal from said surface, the color signal having one or more color components. The methods may then further include estimating the extent of the oxide reduction due to the plasma treatment based on the post-plasma contact color signal. In some embodiments, estimating the extent of the oxide reduction due to the plasma treatment is done based on the b* component of the post-plasma contact color signal. Also disclosed are plasma treatment apparatuses which may implement the foregoing methods.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing a semiconductor substrate having a metal seed layer for a subsequent electroplating operation. In some embodiments, the methods may include contacting the surface of the semiconductor substrate with a plasma to treat the surface by reducing metal oxides thereon and thereafter measuring a post-plasma-contact color signal from said surface, the color signal having one or more color components. The methods may then further include estimating the extent of the oxide reduction due to the plasma treatment based on the post-plasma contact color signal. In some embodiments, estimating the extent of the oxide reduction due to the plasma treatment is done based on the b* component of the post-plasma contact color signal. Also disclosed are plasma treatment apparatuses which may implement the foregoing methods.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an opening and onto a target portion of the substrate, and a conduit having an outlet in the opening. The conduit is configured to deliver gas to the opening. The lithographic apparatus includes a temperature control apparatus disposed in a space between the projection system and the substrate table. The temperature control device is configured to control the temperature of the gas in the space after the gas passes through the opening.

Abstract: Methods described herein manage wafer entry into an electrolyte so that air entrapment due to initial impact of the wafer and/or wafer holder with the electrolyte is reduced and the wafer is moved in such a way that an electrolyte wetting wave front is maintained throughout immersion of the wafer also minimizing air entrapment.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an opening and onto a target portion of the substrate, and a conduit having an outlet in the opening. The conduit is configured to deliver gas to the opening. The lithographic apparatus includes a temperature control apparatus disposed in a space between the projection system and the substrate table. The temperature control device is configured to control the temperature of the gas in the space after the gas passes through the opening.

Abstract: Methods described herein manage wafer entry into an electrolyte so that air entrapment due to initial impact of the wafer and/or wafer holder with the electrolyte is reduced and the wafer is moved in such a way that an electrolyte wetting wave front is maintained throughout immersion of the wafer also minimizing air entrapment.

Abstract: Methods described herein manage wafer entry into an electrolyte so that air entrapment due to initial impact of the wafer and/or wafer holder with the electrolyte is reduced and the wafer is moved in such a way that an electrolyte wetting wave front is maintained throughout immersion of the wafer also minimizing air entrapment.

Abstract: Methods described herein manage wafer entry into an electrolyte so that air entrapment due to initial impact of the wafer and/or wafer holder with the electrolyte is reduced and the wafer is moved in such a way that an electrolyte wetting wave front is maintained throughout immersion of the wafer also minimizing air entrapment.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an opening and onto a target portion of the substrate, and a conduit having an outlet in the opening. The conduit is configured to deliver gas to the opening. The lithographic apparatus includes a temperature control apparatus disposed in a space between the projection system and the substrate table. The temperature control device is configured to control the temperature of the gas in the space after the gas passes through the opening.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an opening and onto a target portion of the substrate, and a conduit having an outlet in the opening. The conduit is configured to deliver gas to the opening. The lithographic apparatus further includes a cooling apparatus controlled by a control system. The cooling apparatus is configured to cool the gas such that gas which travels from the opening to the substrate has a predetermined temperature when the gas is incident upon the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an opening and onto a target portion of the substrate, and a conduit having an outlet in the opening. The conduit is configured to deliver gas to the opening. The lithographic apparatus further includes a cooling apparatus controlled by a control system. The cooling apparatus is configured to cool the gas such that gas which travels from the opening to the substrate has a predetermined temperature when the gas is incident upon the substrate.

Abstract: Methods described herein manage wafer entry into an electrolyte so that air entrapment due to initial impact of the wafer and/or wafer holder with the electrolyte is reduced and the wafer is moved in such a way that an electrolyte wetting wave front is maintained throughout immersion of the wafer also minimizing air entrapment.

Abstract: Theory and design of a new electrical-mobility based instrument for measurement of aerosol particle size distributions in real time is presented. Miniature Electrical Aerosol Spectrometer has a rectangular cross-section with two main regions: the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) and Classifier sections. The ESP section enables charged particle injection into the classifier section in a narrow range of streamlines at the desired location. The injected charged particles are then segregated based on their electrical mobility in the classifier section and collected on a series of plates that are connected to electrometers. Real-time particle size distribution measurements can be inferred from the electrometer signal strengths with the knowledge of the instrument transfer function.

Abstract: Sub-field enhanced global alignment (SEGA) methods for aligning reconstituted wafers in a lithography process are disclosed. The SEGA methods provide the ability to accommodate chip placement errors for chips supported by a reconstituted wafer when performing a lithographic process having an overlay requirement. The SEGA methods include measuring chip locations to determine sub-fields of the reconstituted wafer over which enhanced global alignment (EGA) can be performed on the chips therein to within the overlay requirement. The SEGA methods further included individually performing EGA over the respective sub-fields. The SEGA methods take advantage of the benefits of both EGA and site-by-site alignment and are particularly applicable to wafer-level packing lithographic processes such as fan-out wafer-level packaging.